For example if a 50 year old female member of staff is needing to restrain a 15 year old child she is typically at significant risk of injury due to her own bone density and muscle mass loss whilst he is typically in his peak bone density and muscle mass.

'One size fits all' physical intervention programmes can therefore put staff and service users at risk of injury if the technique is not adapted for each set of demographics.

Our short YouTube presentations are available HERE and cover a variety of issues for all work places.

Joanne's latest article in Expert Witness Journal covers dealing with service users who bite, scratch or spit. It's unpleasant, distressing and can lead to mental and physical ill health on both sides.

Total Train is pleased to announce that Joanne Caffrey was recently presented with the 2018 Expert Witness Award for outstanding legal services to safer custody by the Federation of Forensic & Expert Witness agency.

We have prepared a short presentation looking at the risks for staff and service users if the age difference between the person restraining and the restrained person is significant. Watch the video from our YouTube site HERE.

Training and qualifying to become an expert witness in your field of expertise is a lengthy process. Joanne Caffrey's efforts are being rewarded by being recognised by the Federation of Forensic & Expert Witnesses who have featured her on the front page and profiled her in this month's magazine. The article about her work can be found HERE.

We are often asked about situations when children or adult service users bite or spit at staff. It is often seen as a minor, but unpleasant, part of dealing with a bigger episode of challenging behaviour and staff are unsure how to respond.

Joanne Caffrey's evidence stands up in Court

Over the Easter holidays I was in a London Coroner's Court as the Expert Witness in a case of the death of a person during a restraint. A jury sat over the case and four legal teams were present; one representing the family of the deceased and three representing the staff and organisations involved in the incident.

Time out, calming, safe, blue, and seclusion rooms - good intentions can become abusive practice. A growing number of schools and care settings are implementing 'calming rooms' or 'safe rooms'. The intention of the room is good BUT there are issues that schools and care settings need to consider in order to avoid opening themselves up to allegations of false imprisonment and abuse.

In January 2018 a Kent teacher (Mr T) was found guilty of professional misconduct against a child following an incident which had occurred in November 2016. The findings against him included the fact Mr T said to the disruptive teenager "I don't care if I get sent to prison. I'll knock your ****ing lights out".

A mouth search can be performed by police with consent, but swallowing a package is a medical emergency.

I have recently had a couple of enquiries concerning the powers of the police to search the mouths of people on the streets for suspected drugs offences. I have therefore produced this five minute information video explaining in what circumstances police officers can look inside of the mouth of a person. Click HERE for video.